Expandable fiberglass pressure vessel having internal pipe connection

Abstract

An apparatus for use in conjunction with a pressure vessel, having a tubular conduit extending into the interior of the pressure vessel. The outer end of the conduit is rigidly fixed to one end of the pressure vessel in a pressure-tight connection. The inner end of the conduit is attached to a saddle at the other end of the pressure vessel, where the saddle is adapted to slidably receive the conduit such that upon expansion of the pressure vessel due to pressurization, the conduit will move independently relative to the saddle.

I claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for use in conjunction with a fiberglass pressure vessel, comprising: a tubular conduit extending into and communicating with the interior of a fiberglass pressure vessel, an outer end of said conduit rigidly connected to a first end of said pressure vessel in a pressure-tight connection, said pressure vessel formed of a material which will expand substantially parallel to said conduit; and   a saddle fixedly attached to a second end of said pressure vessel, said saddle slidably receiving an inner end of said tubular conduit where upon expansion of the pressure vessel due to pressurization, said conduit will move independently relative to said saddle.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second tubular conduit connected to the pressure vessel in the same fashion as the first tubular conduit, and positioned substantially parallel to the first tubular conduit. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus of claim 2, wherein the pressure vessel is a tank used for filtering contaminants from water, and wherein the first tubular conduit is an inlet conduit for the contaminated water and the second tubular conduit is an outlet conduit for the water after filtration. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus for use in conjunction with a pressure vessel, comprising: a tubular conduit extending into and communicating with the interior of a pressure vessel, an outer end of said conduit rigidly connected to a first end of said pressure vessel in a pressure-tight connection, said pressure vessel formed of a material which will expand substantially parallel to said conduit;   a saddle fixedly attached to a second end of said pressure vessel, said saddle slidably receiving an inner end of said tubular conduit where, upon expansion of the pressure vessel due to pressurization, said conduit will move independently relative to said saddle;   a second tubular conduit connected to the pressure vessel in the same fashion as the first tubular conduit, and positioned substantially parallel to the first tubular conduit;   where the pressure vessel is a tank used for filtering contaminants from water, and wherein the first tubular conduit is an inlet conduit for the contaminated water and the second tubular conduit is an outlet conduit for the water after filtration;   a plurality of sprinkler heads located along the axial length of the inlet conduit; and   a plurality of collector tubes extending from the outlet conduit in a substantially perpendicular configuration and located along the axial length of the outlet conduit.   
     
     
       5. Apparatus of claim 4 wherein said tank contains sand and is used for filtering contaminants from water used in a swimming pool.